New Guinea Impatiens plant named Fisupnic Lipink

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea  Impatiens  plant named ‘Fisupnic Lipink’, and particularly characterized by the combined features of light pink to nearly white flowers with purple eyes; large, round, flat flowers; uniform, deep green foliage; moderately tall, rounded plant habit; and early to medium flowering response.

GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

[0001]Impatiens hawkeri W. Bull (hybrid)

VARIETY DENOMINATION

[0002] Fisupnic Lipink

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofNew Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri W.Bull, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘FisupnicLipink’.

[0004] ‘Fisupnic Lipink’ is a product of a planned breeding program andoriginated from a hybridization made by the inventor, Birgit C. Hofmann,in a controlled breeding program in Hillscheid, Germany, in 2000.

[0005] The female parent was the variety ‘Malita’ (unpatented),characterized by carmine and orange mixed flower color, flowers with apurple center, medium to light green foliage, and fairly compact planthabit.

[0006] The male parent of ‘Fisupnic Lipink’ was ‘Fisimp 131’ (U.S. PlantPat. No. 13,714), characterized by round, rose-red flowers, medium greenfoliage, medium sized, and round and tight plant habit.

[0007] ‘Fisupnic Lipink’ was discovered and selected as one floweringplant within the progeny of the stated cross by the inventor in April,2001 in a greenhouse in Galdar, Gran Canaria, Spain.

[0008] The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Fisupnic Lipink’ wasaccomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initialselection in July, 2001 in a controlled environment in Galdar, GranCanaria, Spain, by, or under the supervision of the inventor.

[0009] Horticultural examination of plants grown from these cuttingsinitiated in the spring of 2002 in Hillscheid, Germany, and continuingthereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for ‘Fisupnic Lipink’ are firmly fixed and are retainedthrough successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivarreproduces true to type.

[0010] ‘Fisupnic Lipink’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly withvariations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength, without, however, any variation in genotype. The followingobservations, measurements, and comparisons describe plants grown inHillscheid, Federal Republic of Germany, under greenhouse conditionswhich approximate those generally used in commercial practice.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The following traits have been repeatedly observed and aredetermined to be basic characteristics of ‘Fisupnic Lipink’, which incombination distinguish this impatiens as a new and distinct cultivar:

[0012] 1. light pink to nearly white flowers with purple eyes;

[0013] 2. large, round, flat flowers;

[0014] 3. uniform, deep green foliage;

[0015] 4. moderately tall, rounded plant habit; and

[0016] 5. early to medium flowering response.

[0017] Of the many commercial cultivars known to the inventor, the mostsimilar in comparison to ‘Fisupnic Lipink’ is the patented variety‘Fisnics Light Pink’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,579).

[0018] In comparison to ‘Fisnics Light Pink’, ‘Fisupnic Lipink’ has amore variable pink flower color, and much taller, more upright planthabit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0019] The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical flower andfoliage characteristics of ‘Fisupnic Lipink’ with colors being as trueas possible with illustrations of this type. The photographic drawingshows a side view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fisupnic Lipink’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

[0020] In the following description color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (RHS). The color values weredetermined indoors from plants growing in a green-house in May 2003,Hillscheid, Germany.

[0021] The description is based on plants which were planted as rootedcuttings in 12 cm pots in late February 2003, and then grown in thegreenhouse at a minimum temperature of 16° C. Most observations andmeasurements were made after the beginning of flowering in mid May, whenthe plants were about 12 weeks old.

PLANT

[0022] General appearance and form:

[0023]Plant habit.—Tall and upright, surface of foliage canopy rounded,and well-branched; growth is indeterminate, though weak after beginningof flowering Height: 17.9 cm.

[0024]Width.—31.3 cm.

[0025]Number of branches.—11.5.

[0026]Length of branches.—12-14 cm.

[0027]Internode length.—5.5-7.0 cm.

[0028]Diameter of branches.—8-9 mm.

[0029]Stem color.—Brown, RHS 178 C.

[0030]Propagation.—Terminal shoot tips for cuttings.

[0031]Rooting.—Roots initiate in about 18 days at 22° C., from stickingto transplanting.

[0032]Cultivation time.—It takes about 9-10 weeks of growing time toproduce a marketable flowering plant in a 12 cm pot.

[0033] Foliage:

[0034]Leaf arrangement.—Primarily in whorls.

[0035]Shape of leaf.—Elliptic, with acute base and acuminate tip.

[0036]Texture.—Surface slightly glossy, smooth or faintly rippled.

[0037]Margin.—Slightly serrated, ciliated.

[0038]Leaf length.—13.3 cm.

[0039]Leaf width.—4.2 cm.

[0040]Upper surface, main color.—Medium to dark green, uniform; matureleaves between RHS 137 A and 139 A, young leaves near RHS 137 A.

[0041]Veins on upper surface color.—Dark red, RHS 183 C, near the base.

[0042]Lower surface color.—Light green, about RHS 139 C (both young andmature leaves).

[0043]Veins on lower surface color.—RHS 183 A.

[0044]Petiole.—2.2 cm in length, 3 mm in diameter.

[0045]Petiole color.—Upper side dark-red, RHS 185 A, lower side RHS 185A.

INFLORESCENCE

[0046]Flowering response.—9 weeks after planting of rooted cuttings.

[0047]Flowering season.—Generally indeterminate, mainly from March toOctober, depending on light intensity.

[0048] Flower:

[0049]Number of flowers per node.—6-8, in various stages of development.

[0050]Form of corolla.—Single-type, 5 petals.

[0051]Shape of corolla.—Large, nearly round, with the petalsoverlapping, almost flat.

[0052]Diameter of corolla.—Average length: 75 mm Average width: 75 mmDepth of corolla: 10 mm.

[0053]Shape of petals.—Cordate, only weakly lobed at the top end, baseattenuate Top petal: 32 mm long, 52 mm wide Lateral petals: 35 mm long,40 mm wide Lower petals 37 mm long, 48 mm wide Texture: Smooth,velvetyAspect: Flat.

[0054]Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters).—Lightpink to nearly white, somewhat variable ground color, with a smallpurple eye.

[0055]Color of upper surface.—Light pink RHS 65 A to RHS 69 D, nearlywhite.

[0056]Color of eye zone.—Red-purple, RHS N 66 B.

[0057]Color of lower surface.—Mainly pale light pink, RHS 69 C.

[0058]Spur.—Downwardly curved, 6.7 mm long, 3 mm in diameter at theflower end; color deep pink, RHS 63 B.

[0059]Pedicel color.—Pink, RHS 63 C.

[0060]Pedicel length.—Approximately 50 mm.

[0061]Flower bud.—Ovoid shape, 24 mm in length, 16 mm in width; colorRHS 69 B.

[0062] Reproductive organs:

[0063]Stamens.—5 in number, fused, upper surface color is RHS N57 C.

[0064]Anthers.—Fused, hooded.

[0065]Pollen.—Whitish-yellow, about RHS 8 D Style and stigma: Five innumber, very short, yellowish, about RHS 150 D Ovary: 5-celled, 5 mmlong, surface green, RHS 139 B.

[0066] Disease/Pest resistance/susceptibility: No observations to date.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct New Guinea Impatiens Plant named‘Fisupnic Lipink’ as described and illustrated herein.